


Chapter 2. Act 1: From The Man Who Sold The World

by LazyShadow



Series: Fragmented Echoes. Chapter 2: A Second Chance [1]
Category: Splatoon
Genre: Humans, Madness, Post-Octo Expansion DLC, Twisted story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-01-12 13:18:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18447359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazyShadow/pseuds/LazyShadow
Summary: I endured hell, struggled with tests, undying abominations, tratiors and my own sanity. I found the awnsers, I did what had to be done! I died.....yet I'm still alive, broken, collapsed and confused. He had a live here before, but now it's my turn to deal with his...my...our problems, inner demons, and HER -  the Green Terror herself.





	1. Quick note before we start

I strongly recommend reading the first book fitst to undestand the world, canons, characters and the events. If you're not a plstoon fan - don't worry, first book will explaining everything - https://archiveofourown.org/series/1177871 

I feel like I had more things to say...Ah, yes. Don't forget to leave your feedback with appreciation/critique. This is the only way for writer to improve and it's source of motivation. You may think it's not a big deal, but if you spend 5 more minutes, writing some feedback or simply say "I want to see, what happens next" - it'll make any writer feel happy and usefull. But If one keeps writing, posting his new chapters/part with no response from people - it leads to frustration, loss of motivation or/and quality reduction with possible increase of time it take to write a new text wall of content for y'all. Just think about it for a second and beging reading Chapter 2


	2. Part 1: Stop dreaming

_ I laughed and shook his hand, and made my way back home _

_ I searched for form and land, for years and years I roamed _

_ I gazed a gazely stare at all the millions here _

_ We must have died along, a long long time ago _

 

_ Who knows? Not me _

_ We never lost control _

_ You're face to face _

_ With the Man who Sold the World _

 

Emptiness is all around me, with only the earth under my feet and not a single living soul in sight...for now. No idea how long I’m here, singing that song. Who knew that a song about rediscovery of your other self would fit my life so well. I’m stuck here, fighting my inner demons and getting my ass kicked countless times. Test chambers, eight balls, octarians, traitors...hell, even my wet dreams with hot girls tried to murder me! But above them all stands one person, controlling and giving commands. My rival - Green Terror herself. She’s like a warden in this endless dream prison where I’m VIP inmate. Because I fucked up.  _ My _ mission, my sanity, my life. Both of them.

 

Fog covers ground, walls collapsing with leaking dark light. I turn around and see an approaching figure. Two long, green tentacles, hanging from the head, green, beautiful eyes and that heart melting face. Yep. It’s  **her** . I smile like a child and start to laugh as she slowly approaches with a gun in her hand

 

_ "Still think you can break me? Ha-ha-ha-ha. You make me laugh!" _

 

I stopped laughing and pull out two octoshots, taking aim.

 

_ "Yet I envy your optimism. Let’s go!" _

 

And we rush into battle. Running, shooting, tossing bombs, swimming in ink. Peaceful area around is now looking like a painted warzone, with music coming out of nowhere, crushing walls and spinning smoke in the growing tornadoes. No idea what the track is, but it’s getting louder and more intense as our battle lasts and covers more area! My guns blaze with power equal to her rage, frustration and hatred in the eyes. I have skill, she has determination and speed. And we both want to finish each other off. Yet I manage to predict her movement and caught her off guard with perfectly tossed splat bomb. Booyah to hell, you ten limb scum!

 

A blast, followed by that beautiful moan, caused by pain. And she crawl in my ink, hurting yourself even more, yet keep pushing through pain. And I...slowly come closer. Just like last time I fought, before I-...I stop, looking at her struggle and my hands. Music subsided, giving way to the depressive ambient. I wish to kill her, avenge my kind, our loss in war over a century ago and make everyone happy. But why? She’s not  **my** enemy, not  **my** problem and octolings are not my kind!  Killing her would mean nothing but turning me into a murder..

 

An annoying voice cracks with static behind my ears like that fucking Silent Hill radio. Agent Asshole came up to play.

 

_ "He who desires but acts not breeds pestilence. So it is written." _

 

I sigh, moving my attention elsewhere, trying to find him with my ey- ah ye, he’s not even real. 

 

_ “Ok, Shakespeare. Can you explain again, why I have to do this? _ ”

 

_ “She want to kill you, idiot.” _

 

_ “Yea, I get that. Why? Did I fuck her and she wasn’t satisfied or something” _

 

He burst in laughter, trying to talk

 

_ “Ha-ha-ha! Ah, good one, Rick! Ha, no- I wish that was true tho. She’s looking real hot for her 16.” _

 

I took a step back, shook by my own mind and replying with frustration

 

_ “You sick perv! And I’m sharing your memories and desires?! Oh, god fucking- tastic…” _

 

But that doesn’t bothered him

 

_ “Arh, who cares! We can’t let her live anyway. She  _ **_will_ ** _ die for the sake of everyone. As for us - better use the opportunity, while she still alive and not turned into a pile of unfuckeable ink.” _

 

Oh, shut up already, I’m sick of your voice and shaking my head, pointing gun at her and- She pulled a trigger and sending my flying sky high.

 

_ “Ё-Ё-ёбаный в рот!!1 ” _

 

That’s what happens when you talk, instead of finishing of your enemy - they recover and send your sorry ass sky high! Argh! Hard landing on my back, slight bouncing off the ground and shortly second hard landing short after with my body doing a barrel roll in the ground. That was a fucking Octoling space program by Green Terror herself. Using HER underbarrel grenade launcher, point black in my JAW! Oi, how am I still alive after that? Damn, that hurt a lot...oh mother of - backpack is destroyed under my own dead weight. While twitches in painful convulsions, I slowly get up and took off backpack straps.

 

She is back on her feet, covered in ink armor, burning like a fire with gasoline. And those two white glowing eyes staring at me. It’s Ink overdrive, her special. As if facing a legendary octoling killing machine wasn’t a bad enough, that shit makes her faster, more resistant to damage and amplify damage output of her toys from  _ “Сall 911”  _ to  _ “Call a grave digger” _ . In short - she has a fucking Devil Trigger and she’s not afraid to abuse it. And what do we do, when Green Terror do something like this? Exactly - Run for your life!

 

I crawled back with rising panic, using legs and hands, creating some distance to turn into my octo form to make a use of super jump. It’s like double jump on steroids. How? By raising pressure of ink sacs for a couple of second and take off like a rocket. This is what happens when biology of octopuses/squids and physic have a baby - evolution. Still dunno, how the hell I manage to keep my weapons, clothes untouched by transformation…

 

I landed near some kind of fog building and swim inside, changing to humanoid form on the run. She’s coming this way and I got no way to defend myself! Ah, god damn it, I hear explosion outside, screams and splating sounds. I hide near the window and really cowardly peek outside. That’s all I can do for now. She’s slowly walking outside. Area outside turned into a burning barracks, crushed crates with weapons and equipment. It’s a memory...I remember that day.

 

Green Terror raided out base in search for Zapfish and Great Octo Weapon parts to prevent us for constructing another machine of war. Some idiot thought it’s a good idea to make a molotov cocktail and make fried squid out of her, but he got splatted and set our power cell with zapfish on fire. No one had time to take poor fish out and she was left to burn alive, unable to get out by herself. In agony and soul shaking screams she generated so much electricity, that our connected equipment and respawn point were overloaded and lit up like a christmas eve tree. Situation is getting out of fucking control and I’m forced to hide like a coward...I hate it! 

 

That terrifying Agent is slowly walking inside the fire and chaos she created, fighting her way through and finishing off every poor cephalopod that got in her way, running or simply trying to crawl away in pain. Some tried to play dead and surprise attack her, but it didn’t worked out…Still, she failed her mission and were forced to retrieve, running in fog. 

 

I run out of cover and tried to help others, using radio to inform the command about what just happened and request assistance. Looking at this hell, I grow with inner anger and hatred. She came here, killed my kind, friends….Good thing we didn’t had any kids here - they were moved back to their school a week ago. Still, I can’t let her terrorise us any longer! I run to the survived crates and took equipment I need before going after her. And then we had one last battle. 

 

The fog brought me to a small river with crystal clear water. No sign of her presence. I went to the water and knelt down, looking at my own vague reflection. I see no octoling or human bastard. No, I see an subhuman with tentacles and red eyes, driven by hatred, frustration, greed and lust to prove himself in the eyes of a cephalopod he respect the most. 

 

But what were I thinking back there by going on solo suicide mission for the sake of some kind of revenge? That was reckless and stupid, yet I managed to defeat her. I remember how she lay on the floor, surrounded by my ink making her escape impossible. She was wounded, disarmed, convulsed, broken with tears on her eyes. She tried not to cry tho, act like a true badass. And that smile on my face, that joy -  I managed to defeat the legendary Green Terror all by myself damn it! And she was still alive, ready to be captured and used for my promotion. 

 

But killing her on public would be a bad move for many reasons, political, moral and personal. Her image as a “true enemy” used to fuel the hate towards inklings among our young generation and troops is too good to toss it away so soon. Yes, There are better ideas. Patch her up and use her as a little squid sex toy or torture dummy. Well, at least that was my initial idea, but l...uh....I can’t remember. I can’t remember. Something changed my mind, and I decided to betray my own people, my own family and command by letting her live. I said some stuff to her, and walked away disappointed, becoming a deserter, a failure. And next thing I remember is waking up in the underground hell. I feel I’m missing some memories with important information. Sigh.

 

I lower my hands into the water to wash my face, but the moment my fingers touch water’s edge they uh...The hell? Something floats from my fingers, something maroon red. I slowly lower my arm down in the water to the elbow, watching what’s gonna happen. This something turns out to be blood, red blood on my hands, going against the flow, against nature. I take my hands out of the water and dab my face with blood. I don’t need reminders..

  
  


I stand up and wander along the water flow, looking for something, looking for her. I know I ‘must’ kill her, but maybe, just maybe, I can talk this out? One can’t become a monster in one day. There must be reasons, events that lead to to this violent state of mind. Come to think of it, she reminds me of- hold on. From the corner of my eye, I notice traces of red blood in the water, going against the flow. I turn my head and inspect the river with surprised look. Hm, now I see two faint traces of the blood - blue and red, coming from somewhere ahead and slowly fusing into a single, strong purple color. I look ahead and see a waterfall that- uh...goes up? The fuck? And there are two figures, standing on the opposite sides of the river and leaving those traces of blood in water. From the looks of it, they’re aiming at each other. Can’t say who they are though, need to get closer.

 

I ducked and quietly moved toward them, ready to defend myself if situation calls for it. But as I get closer I began to hear bits of their voices, really familiar voices. Then I could recognise their clothes - that disgusting standard Kamabo Corporation “Fuck You” form, a.k.a test subject uniform. Just a couple more steps and I could see their fa...ces? I stood surprised, shocked and confused with no words to say; looking at those two persons, aiming at each other with octoshots. A human and a octoling - both me. And they’re having a intense conversation:

 

_ “I thought you died alone. A long-long time ago.” _

 

Human “me” replied with my old tone, negatively shaking his head

 

_ “I can say the same about you. We both have no mucking idea how that’s even possible. This is kinda your subconsciousness - I get it. But how I’m still here?  _ **_Why_ ** _ am I still here - just to suffer?” _

 

He briefly looked at me for with that Metal Gear quote and sighed.

 

_ “Oh, look. He’s here. Hello there, killer.” _

 

I silently waved my hand to him, not knowing how to react to what was happening. Octo “me” spoke with more vulgar tone of Agent Asshole.

 

_ “Don’t ya say anything to this woomynator,  ya hairy, primitive monkey! Remember, we both ‘ _ died’ _ to create this disrespectfull dead weigh deepshit! -” _

 

He pointed at me with his free hand.

 

_ “We all went through hell, tests and going some real shit that make me sick. But him? Pissing himself and crying like a girl the moment I said two magical words. Test Fa....Aye, you know what? fuck it! I’ll just give him a little mayonnaise makeover!”  _

 

He turned to me with some sick intentions but immediately get warning shot by my human side, not wanting for his ‘opponent’ to move.

 

_ “You want to have...that with..yourself? Oh, gee...no wonder you lost all your friends. No respect for yourself, let alone the others.” _

 

They both went silent for a second, looking at each other with disrespect and apathy. I shake my head and step forward, trying to calm them both down

 

_ “Hey, clones of mine. Can you both-” _

 

They both immediately switched their attention to me with that boiling despicable look in their eyes, muting me from the inside and making me fall on my ass. They both said at the same time with a commanding tone.

 

_ “ _ **_QUIET_ ** _! Sit still, while adults are talking.” _

 

And they returned to discussing me, while ignoring my presence like nothing happen. Fine….assholes. I got nowhere to go and their argue got my attention, so I sit in water, watching them.

 

_ “...My body, my knowledge with your mind and a name. I wonder what can go wrong...” _

 

_ “What are you getting at? _

 

_ “We are bad parents, don’t ya think?”  _

 

Octo me said that with grin on face, while human me was shocked and frustrated by this joke. Someone is triggered.

 

_ “He’s not even our-! Argh, your obsession with jokes and se- ahem, sticking your “pump” in someone’s exit points make me sick! No wonder why you called yourself ‘agent family friendly name’. You wanted to mock your Green Terror, haven’t you,  Lieutenant U35?” _

 

Octoling’s grim fade away the moment he heard the last words. U35? Unit 35? Is that your true name, Asshole?

 

_ “W-wha-Ho...” _

 

Octoling got triggered and grabbed his gun with second hand, ready to shoot

 

_ “Ok, Alexa! How the FUCK this vegetable with bones manage know AND remember my name?! I never told you that, you too polite to insult, unfresh, plouky, milk-drinkin, shilpit, snivelin', diaper-wearin' landlubber!” _

 

Me and my human clone sighed at the same time and we spoke

 

_ “Speaking of knowing, my vulgar octarian comrade. How the hell did you knew about that talking sea slug conductor before we even meet him on the train? And those ‘enemies’ of yours - you hinted at traitors before we even knew about them.” _

 

I looked at my Octo self/clone or whatever he is. 

 

_ “So that’s how you wanna play, huh? Ok.”  _ He grinned with sarcastic tone:

  
  


_ “You know my methods, Watson - I read the script, talked with your D̶̢̧̛ȩ͢͟l̡t̷̕͘a̷̡̡͢ ̵̛͜g̵̕u̸͢͟͠͝y͘̕͡...I mean I talked with …Wi...th..Fuc-AAARHG! I can’t spell the name of this fucking Man Behind The- why are laught?” _

 

Human me lowered his weapon, covering his mouth and trying to chuckle more quetly at my octo sself, that got irritated by this

 

_ “Agh, fuck you! And you know what?”  _ He shortly looked at me, making me feel uncomfortable

 

_ “I think this little brat have to go. Help me out here.” _

 

Wait, what? Ok, hold on a bloody second! They both turned to me and dropped their guns moving to me. I quickly trying to get up, turn and run, but I slip and fall on me back, giving them enough time to catch me. I start to panic and resisting as two versions of me drag me to the waterfall. But it’s pointless, I can’t even say anything! They lift me up near the edge and toss me up into the waterfall with  last words.

 

_ “You are overstaying your vacation!” _

 

Instead of flying up along side the water, I begin to fall down, waving my hands and legs in panic, screaming as I rapidly approaching the light, blinding my sight with voices echoing around and going louder and louder…

 

And then everything went completely quiet and dark, only interrupted by sounds of life support machines and heartbeat monitors somewhere on the background.

  
  



	3. Part 2: Know their name

I open my eyes, but everything is so vague and bright - I can’t even understand where am I. Oh, I can’t feel my body and I hear sounds of life support machines and heartbeat monitors somewhere in the background, muffled by music echoing through a radio or some kind of mp3 player. I know that track, squid sisters song - calamari inkantation. Those two voices, that rhythm, lyrics...tone. Whoever turned that shit on clearly has no idea, what real music sounds like.

 

I move my head around, trying to look around with little to no effect. Where am I? I can see white walls, a propeller on the ceiling, something small flying around me..flower petals? I think...I think I see some movement - a figure in white, casually moving from place to place, doing something. My best guess - I’m in a room with multiple victims. It approaches, closer to my position, my vision slowly returns to me. It’s a woman in white clothes with strange looking hair, coming close to me and placing a tray with something on the bed, where I lay, before gently sitting on the edge of it. What are you doing? Why are you bending towards my face and doing something with my right hand and checking something above my head? 

 

Agh...music volume lowers down, and my vision clears further, as another person approaches my position, but staying away from the bed and checking a life support monitor. They keep me alive and they’re not look like one of the Tartar’s dogs. But who - doctors then? Hospital? Surface? But how would I get there...No matter.

 

I just had a better glimpse of that second person. Just what the hell is this one-eyed guy with a head full of spikes? Never seen such a freak before. He made some notes on a paper and went out of my field of view, while the first, whoever you are connected something to me, made some notes and left. My best guess - it’s a dip, with cuteness and cats I hope. He-eh..I need to get up, find out where and why I am here, then plan my next move. Hold it, I see someone.

There is a girl with a jacket slowly passing by and reading something. I try to speak, ask for help, but all I got out was weak moan, that makes her stop. She looks at me with that “ _ hm” _ sound and slowly approaches me, inspecting me with those… those green eyes, those two long green tentacles of her tied in a ponytail, that face I-I uh...Боже мой, I recognize it….her? No, I-i can’t be...Oh no, this better be a bad dream. No it’s not a dream, it’s  **her** ! HER! The Green Terror herself came to hunt me! Ah, fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck- FUCK! Red Alert, full panic, shit is about to go down and i’m unable to resis- uh, what? She tries to ask me something, but I couldn’t understand her mumbling. Are you asking me for my last words or something? Then why does she looked so confused? 

 

She bends closer to my face, repeating this mumbling with uh- less confidence in her voice? The hell...Does she even speak or is this just my hallucination, because as far as I know - she’s mute. I respond the only way I can - weak moaning, while looking in her eyes. She steps back, completely shocked and a moment later runs away, unintentionally pushing the radio on the floor and screaming for someone.  Why are you running, girl? It irritates me. Why are you running?! You fucking Max Payne on rule 63 plus ten pieces of hentai with suckers on the inner white side, get your ass back here; I wanna take a closer look at you, cus my eyes are blurry again!

 

….It’s pointless to scream with my thoughts - no one will hear me anyway. No way to move, speak or escape. The only option left is to wait...

 

*Two weeks later*

 

It’s been days if not weeks since I came to. It’s really hard to keep track of time here. Doctors won’t let me out of the building, making me do tests, check ups, exercises, visit other doctors, talk with them et cetera. I’m not complaining though. They’re trying to fix my body and assess the damage done to my mental health with the help of psychologists and decrypting data from my  CQ-80. Sigh, it’s still hard to believe that there is a life on the surface - new life...and they all try to be human. But every time I look out the window, I see a city, life, day and night. It looks so old school, so human; but it’s different, alien. Am I losing my mind again? My sanity making a solid comeback and my damaged eye managed to recover. Outside of that I managed to get some info.

 

Right now I am on the surface, in the hospital of Unity, Inkopolis city - one of the few major cities of Inklings and other species. Oh god...they’ve got a goddamn megalopolis’ and technology of early 1990 - mid 2005. And it’s been only twelve thousand years! Yep - fuck the logic, fuck the evolution that takes millions of years. To hell with all that, we’ll turn sea creatures into new humanity! Well, at least they look and act like us..for now….

 

Sigh. On the other hand no one knows, how the hell I manage to escape the underground facility in the first place. No one want to believe in things I say about humanity, Promised Land...argh, the Machine. Can’t blame them - no sane person would believe in that. I Guess they’d dump me into a mental asylum already and be done with my case, but there are things, that leave questions; questions they have no answers for.

 

They say I was MIA for over four years, managed to dig up my file with my name and “my” past. And currently they smash their heads, trying to logically explain my total personality shift with perfect knowledge of two dead languages that I got out nowhere. Plus there is a device of unknown origin, made with superior tech and lots of decrypted data - my CQ-80. Still, I don’t think that’s the only reasons I’m still here and not tied up in four white walls.

 

They finally answered one of my questions this morning tho. I was found in some ancient human industrial ruins god knows where in a coma, barely alive. Certainly I would have died, but cavalry arrived with an emergency evac via chopper - yep, sea humas flying on fucking helicopters. But when I ask who found me, the answer only put me in shock, confusion and made me ask more questions. I didn’t get a name, but from description and photo it’s certain - it was no other but the Green Terror herself. That sounds like the wrong joke in the wrong place. SHE, Brought ME here instead of killing me like she always does to our kind…That’s the second most fucking weird thing on my list of fucking weird things that happened in my fucked up life. And I had a lot of points in that list!

 

But it’s all irrelevant - I won’t get any answers just by sitting here on the sofa in the corridor with sea people - sealings walking around and minding their own business. The doctor asked me to wait here and walked away. And I’m sitting here, slowly drowning in confusion, questions and that uncomfortable feel - I feel like an alien, lost in the crowd. The world survived the end of humankind and blossomed with new dominant lifeform that copy us, making me even more confused. sounds like a good plot for a fantasy book.

 

My eye finally catch a glimpse of a somewhat familiar figure with long fins acting like fully functional arms and confusing orange fish face coming towards me. That’s my doctor, holding a file with papers. Sound like a male, might be female….If it has a gender in the first place. Still, It wears clothes like any normal sentient creature, talks, thinks and most importantly - it’s trying to help me. Wish I’d remember your name, doc, cus you are not wearing your badge again. And who's with -oh, пиздапидоры местного разлива... Ok, I take my thoughts back - he/she/it brought Green Terror along the ride! Ok..ok. Just act cool and don’t look in her eyes. I look at the fish-doc and ask

 

_ “Doc?” _

 

_ “Mr. Unit 35-” _

 

_ “For the last time, Doc. It’s Richard Streletskiy. That pathetic excuse for a name you just used- forget it, it does not belong to me.” _

 

_ “But it is your name in the documents” _

 

_ “A phony name..”  _

 

_ “...Anyway. I have a good news for you - this kind inkling volunteered to be your caretaker!” _

 

Doc said that with excitement, pointing with his fin to the silent, terrifying, merciless killing machine I know only by her nickname- agent 3 of the new Squidbeak Splatoon, A.K.A the Green Terror. I look at her, then immediately switch my attention to the doctor, trying to remain cool and sound more or less normal:

 

_ “ Excuse me...A caretaker?” _

 

Doc was a bit surprised to see my reaction and question, but 

 

_ “Well, yes. You do remember what the psychologist said?” _

 

I sigh and nod with tried reply

 

_ “Yea-yea, I remember that jelly. No offence, but this sentient god knows what was said that, I have an amnesia with unusual side effects, probably caused by Octavio’s brainwashing and I need to re-socialise with some help.” _

 

_ “Precisely Mr. U- Richard! One can’t recover in hospital walls and isolation-” _

 

I giggle a bit and shake my head, interrupting the fish-doc which make them both rise look at me with questionable “what so funny” grimace in their faces.

 

_ “You won’t understand the irony. Please, continue...” _

 

Doc shrugged.

 

_ “As I tried to say: you, young cephalopod can’t stay here. You need a to be outside, playing Turf War and communicating with others. Stay fresh, as Squid Sisters always say. That’s the only way to bring your memories back and start a new life. ” _

 

I sigh with irritation, trying to remain calm and focused, looking exclusively at doctor, trying to ignore the Green Terror’s presence.

 

_ “And you decide to use this lovely squid as watchful eye instead of simply dumping me into the nuthouse. You think that things I say about the underground, humanity and the Machine would make a good horror book. Doc, admit it - it’s too well described to be just a delusion of a madman or rock and roll clown that ‘ _ does cocaine _ ’ as they say...Look, can I just say no? Please?” _

 

_ “All arrangements are already made, documents transferred and signed. With your official status in Octarian States as a deserter, things you say and the way you act, that unknown device and current political situation - this is your best and only option. She’ll provide you with everything: shelter, clothes, your everyday needs and she’ll be a guiding limb on your way to become a part of our fresh community...while our official authorities will decide your future fate.” _

 

Doc switched to her - I’ll just assume that’s its a female after all - attention to my now so called caretaker and turned back, taking a step forward to me, leaning towards my face and making me feel uncomfortable, before speaking with low tone in my ear

 

_ “I know, you two had ‘history’ in the past, but this is the best I can do to help you both. Just try not to kill each other, ok?” _

 

Doc arched back, gave the Green Terror a short nod and left. Don’t wanna sound like an obsessed paranoid old man, but this “caretaker/lifetaker” job is just a cover for something bigger and probably illegal. This doctor most is likely working for her and the other agents of this squid black ops family community. Fucking hell, Asshole, what kind of shitstorm are you trying to drag me in before the grave...

 

I take a deep breath and stand up, looking at her. She drills my soul with those green eyes and arms, crossed on her chest, completely silent.  There is something wrong with her though...Maybe it’s just this confused nature of mine, but I don’t see that merciless killing machine asshole I remember and wanted to destroy so bad. And while she stuck in ‘what you gonna do, little man’ silent pose, I took a second inspection of her appearance and oh- my god, shut down my inner fangirl screams.

 

School biology lesson from Agent Asshole’s memory: She is an adult inkling, and just like the octoling in similar age, she looks just like a human minus some things, different with octopi and squids: Inkling scum have elongated triangular elf ears, black eye mask and six tentacles with suckers on the inner, white side. Tentacles, unused in haircut are left as outgrowths on the nape. While octo motherfuckers like yours truly have oval elf like ears, black makeup around the eyes and only four tentacles with different, more flexible shape and suckers on the outside. 

 

Ok, biology lesson aside, she’s grown up into a more attractive, mature and deadly young girl, wearing an unzipped brown jacket with a grey T-shirt underneath, might be over her size; jeans cropped to shorts, green tentacles tied in a ponytail, pouches under the green eyes and a tired look - probably a workaholic or had a rough week. Second size chest, from what I can see, height - around 150-160 cm, might be more. I have mixed feeling towards her. Fear, some hatred, lust, confusion, discomfort and alienation. I can’t say what she feels though. Seconds of silent staring at each other later and she silently turns around and walks away. I follow her, till we reach couple of lifts and enter one of them, with glasses on the walls. Button pressed, and we begin our descent to the first floor.

 

Just the two of us - I’m confused, full of questions and and even silent miss agent three. Alone in the lift, filled with awkward silence. Her arms crossed over her chest, her look is drilling, torturing the glass with her own reflection. I can tell by that body language - she’s definitely not a fan of me even existing, and she’s supposed to kill me for things I’ve never done...but she keeps her cool. 

 

And here I am, in the corner, looking at her, lack of any action, wiping sweat from my face and feeling uncomfortable, sandwiched like a mouse in a trap. I can taste the tension in the air. I’m scared...not of the upcoming unknown life with many problems and culture shocks preparing to stress break me for god knows how long, not my own sanity...which has somehow got better; my condition, my past, the Machine and pointless horrors HE used on countless innocent lives and how one must do something about it. No, I’m afraid of  **her.**

 

I know who she is...and her lack of actions really sets me on my nerve. One sudden or wrong move might trigger her. And I don't want to trigger that OP anime girl with two side tentacles with length reaching her hot ass. Oh-oh no, I didn’t go through hell and struggle while poisoning my mental health with tests and revelations, just to be killed by  _ his _ ...I mean  **_my_ ** rival, that can easily use her tentacles for long range bitch slaps on my face! God damn girl, how do you even walk with those?! On the other hand they are kinda cute if you think abo- Argh....I mean long, green and ugly! And that look in her reflection - she’s definitely planning something. Something terrible.

 

It’s been around fifteen seconds and 3 floors and I already want to surrender, submit myself to be her slave and beg her to spare my life! And she didn’t even say a single word. Her intimidation skills remind me of one anime character: a game nerd with a badass scar on his face and ultimate luck at his side. I Sigh and catch her attention - she’s looking at me through the reflection of the glass. I decide to take a risk and strike a friendly conversation, trying to hide my nervous tone and wipe off the sweat.

 

_ “Look I…I owe you.” _

 

I exhale and try to calm down, and she turns her head, looking at me with “Who gave you the right to speak?”, but I continue, trying to sound normal

 

_ “You could have killed me...twice. But you saved my life. There are so many questions and so little answers. This is so confusing, but this is better than that underground hell. Whatever plans you have for me - thank you, Green Terror…” _

 

She didn’t reply, turning her head back to the mirror. So much for conversation. Is she mute or something. Wish I could say more, but the lift stopped and the doors open on the first floor. I went out, preparing to look around, but she suddenly stopped me with her hand, without even looking in my direction.

 

_ “Helena. My name is Helena..” _

 

I blink in surprise and comply forget about my fears and insecurities for a second there.

 

_ “So you Can talk!” _


	4. Act 1: From The Man Who Sold The World Part 3: Step into the light

In the dark

There’s an end

Waiting hidden for you

You can’t see

All you know is wrong memories

 

Feeling scared,

Unaware

And confused with life above the night

Step into the light

  
  


The lift doors opened and everything went back to awkward silence, reinforced by intimidation of my “caretaker” going to the reception and signing up some documents. She’s turning her head to check on me every five goddamn seconds. This is irritating. Not only have I little to no knowledge about this “new” world and its rules; I don’t know what I am, or what I should do. I feel like a prisoner, with my life under the control of papers, guns, and threats...again. Ain’t that fucking sweet, eh?

 

But let’s be realistic for a second: Can I find a job that fits my specialisation, where I could put my skills and experience to use; a nice place to life, purpose...someone to love and marry? Now that, though, sigh - it makes me sad. Over forty years old with unfulfilled wishes to settle down in a nice place, do something  to find a girl I'd love, live happy, and fuck in peace. Mother would be proud…

 

My eyes catch Green Terror coming seemingly out of nowhere, and without a single word of explanation or insult, she grabbed my hand with a frustrated sight and leading me outside, ignoring my surprised and frightened squeak with sweat popping out of my face. I don’t resist, cause it’ll make us both look stupid and I’m not in a situation to freely give her reasons to kick my nicely raped and disrespected ass back to hell! But we are stepping up closer to the exit doors, that become more birth and blinding with each step we make. Am I really gonna finally see the surface...after twenty plus years of survival, struggle, pain, te̵s̢t͟s, insanity and madness filled with a annoyi̵ng̷ voic̡e͟s in O̢ur head? It's like stupid dream...well, longs dreams come to an end!

 

The moment we stepped out of the door I felt hot, fresh air filling my lungs, grey piercing clouds,  light blinding my eyes and contused my ears for the moment, forcing me instinctively broke out off Helena's grasp to shield my eyes. Blurred sounds of cars, voices, birds, thoughts, the wind clarifying relationships with its tree - drinking companions...Everything echoes back and forth, smoothly returning to normal. I slowly lower my hand and look around, stunned and lost.

 

_ “Oh…My... _ . _ ”  _

 

F-fucking pinch me or g-give me better eyes. A street with cars driving around or parked, trees growing here and there, grass in small green areas on the pedestrian zone. Shops in the distance, signs and traffic lights, intersections…Birds flying around, sea creatures walking around, dressed and acting like me...like us...like humans? Ye̕a͏,͜ it's͝ ̕l͘o̶ok̸s o̢k̡. I cover my open mouth with my hand, staggering to the sides, struck by horrific realisation that overshadow any and all excitement, delusion and misunderstanding. I mumbled softly and quietly, looking at confused and frustrated Helena   
  


_ “This is unbelievable...yet it’s real! It’s real and alive….or is it?” _

 

Helena clenched her fist and exhaling came up to me, lifting her other arm right to my face and rapidly snapping her fingers, like Thanos with The Infinity gauntlet, purchased on Aliexpress.

 

_ “What’s the hold up? Your ‘ _ superior’ _ intellect is glitching?” _

 

I shake my head and point with open hand at..everything.

 

_ “I-I uh...That’s. J-just look at this - this...uh..” _

 

She interrupted me with tired sight, rolling her eyes.

 

_ “Let me guess. You’d say that you haven’t seen anything like this before -which is a lie, because you have been here to kidnap great Zapfish and kill me along the way...” _

 

I take a step back, shaking my head and coming to senses.

 

_ “Kidna- assassinate?! Hold on a second. The hell are you ta-?! Ah, for fuck sake woman, I-!” _

 

She raise her fist with angry face, silencing me with my hands instinctively rising in preparation to defend myself, as she took a step forward and pointed at me with a finger, lowering her tone to make it more menacing.

 

_ “Be grateful for getting a chance, you mindless lunatic! Could have killed you right where I found your dying, sorry ass...” _

 

_ “If you hate me so much, why spare my life and adopt me?” _

 

That question discouraged her for a moment - can see that in her eyes and her mixed facial expression. She didn’t replied - snorted with displeasure and pulled out a cell phone in squid form, plugged in headphones, while turning in some music, pointing me a direction to go with free hand. Are you trying to hide from me with music? That’s a strange behavior...for a merciless killing machine.

 

We proceed to move somewhere. She’s right behind me, guiding me like a mute  ship capitan. I look around, observe my surrounding and god fucking damn it - it makes no sense! Architecture, infrastructure, technology, advertising, graffiti, titles - it’s all made for human  **by** human! NOT for fish... even if it’s evolved and acting just like  **us** , humans. That's not right,  it’s not supposed to be this way.

 

It’s...I dunno. It’s like a trip to an alternative past, where part of me is part of this past. Everything is so familiar, similar, like ours. Yet it’s completely different, outdated, wrong. A different culture with different people that doesn't seem to give a fuck about reinventing/adapting our culture...our way of life...our progress. And I’m an alien here. Alone, lost and confused. Sigh. Still as much as I want to shit myself, t̨r̡eat ̶ḩe͢r̵ ̸u͢glin̷e͜s̸s̢ l͟ike͜ an̶ i̕n̵f̴ect̢ion̢!͢, shove my head in dirt like ostrich in "my hut is on the edge" mode, punch/respectively yell her for insulting me or scream in excitement like a little bitch when looking at new toy - I must keep my cool and act like it’s just a normal day of my life. AArgh! Ебан͜ы̕й͢ ̷в͞ р̧от͘!͞ You҉ ar͟e l̛i̧ke͜ a 5 ̡ye͜a͜r̵ o͡l̷d ̡k̕i̵d l̛o͘st ̧i̧n un̕kn̨ow̨n̢ ̴ne͝i̢ghbo̡rh͞o͞od/c̨o͝ųntry̡ a͡n̶d͡ surroun̢ded b̸y͡ bull̷i̴es/str͞ange̸r̕. Ge͜ţ y͟our shit͝ to͞g͠e҉th҉er̨, ͠y̶a u͠n̷der̨d͏e̢ve͝lop̴ed ҉m̷at͡u͢re̴ killi̛ng͠ mach̶i̴n͘e in  _ my _ b͝o̡dy! I think I need a drink...

 

*Around 15 minutes of unexcited and boring walk later*

 

Currently walking is park. I can’t remember the last time I have seen trees, grass and happiness in faces. Strange looking, but friendly and hyperactive kids, adults without ‘I want to die” face expression mixed with eternal depression of work. Some squids and...whatever that fish is - dancing with boombox, сrazy kids racing on skates, all types of adult people just living their life, like there was no world war, apocalipse, decades of hell, radioactive fallout...Everyone just unanimously decided to be more humane by becoming something different than homo sapiens. I shake my head and remove tentacle that blocks my sight. Hm, I guess that’s the only thing reminding me about my new body, cuz I can’t feel the difference between human and....huh-  

 

I don’t look like human, but I act like one...just like everyo-one else. Like a human, even tho I’m not...And the city looks like Human’s, but it’s not….It wrong. I stop and look in the clouded sky, look around, look at people. One single thought is sparkling in my mind, teasing my paranoia to level up. 

 

Tartar’s… aah, I mean Professor's plan, the goal of the Promised Land is to recreate humanity in bodies of modern sentient species. There is no possible way I could get out of the underground alive and... I didn’t heard or saw Agent Asshole for quite some time. O̢h͏, I̢ ̢wou̶n̡der why...̨ Does that mean I...Ah, fuck. Fuck! FUCK! I might be trapped in a simulation! It͡'̴s no̶t̛...̴ Or this is just my madness and paranoia currently in love with each other. 

 

I grabbed my tentacle with right hand and nervously dangle it while slowly turn my head back, expecting a sudden change on scenery, removing all npc from area or other Matrix style move to feed my insanity. But nothing changed. Life continued, people having life and some of them look at me, discussing my strange behavior and laughing. Also….uhh, what is my ‘caretaker’ doing? She’s fall behind a little, hands holding her headphones, eyes closed, body and head slightly twerking around. I-em, uh…did she forgot about me? She’s too excited, cloud walking with her music past me, trying not to dance and singing along:

 

_ “Cuz I’m about to... _

 

_ Lose it _

 

_ Get rowdy, better move it _

_ Let’s bounce, now we’re cruising _

_ What is power if you don’t want to abuse it? _

 

_ You gonna lose it _

 

_ Get loud, rev up and move it _

_ Go all out and now you are cruising _

_ Think that’s power? Not if you’re not abuse it” _

 

(Lyric belong to RAGE 2 RAP by JT Music - "About 2 Lose It".)

 

What. The fuck. Is this? That’s...not...Green Terror W̸̡ȩ͢͜ know. She act like a absolutely normal strange looking human, not as terrifying killing machine she is. A͟nd belive m̶ȩ ͠-s͟h̵e'̡ll͢ k̸i͟ll̢ ̶y̢o̕u̴! I look at her go and giggle a bit. Maybe she’s not as I remember. Gonna snap her out, before she accidently hit something/someone. I shake my grin and walk to her, but sun begins to burst through grey clouds, scaring them away I stop and raise my head, looking at and sharing a tear or two, ignoring potential reaction from other people and mumbling on english:

 

_ “Twenty fucking years in darkness, hell and nightmares....But like mother used to say: _

 

_ Things may seem to be so impossible _

_ Don’t give up the fight _

_ Look into the Light” _

 

I close my eyes, feeling excitement, accomplishment.. some happiness? It IS the surface, the life, my future. Fuck you, paranoia, underground hell and matrix theory. This is My second chance. Just dive in, adapt to live, become the part of this community..if I can, and- 

 

A bitch slap pushed me back and snapped out of my little exciting moment. Argh- that hurt my feels more that my cheek. Who- ah, it's Green Terror aka Helena aka my new personal Agent asshole with balls. Someone doesn't seem to be happy.

 

_ “You done praising the sun, octo child of the underground?” _

 

I sight and play with fire by replying with a grin:

 

_ “Only when you stop sing along and dance to rap in plain sight” _

 

V͟o͝o͏o-͡h͡o-͜h͘o! She blush with shocked face and cover her shame by grabbing my tentacle and leading me like a misbehaving p̷uss͟y...or a dog on a leash.

 

_ “Just s-shut up and walk...baka.” _

  
  


Just a couple of blocks later we reached a residential area or something similar to it with multiple sixteen-story buildings,  japanese design from early 2000s. I still can’t shake the feeling of confusion mixed curiosity and guided by my so called enemy/caretaker that just approached to one of the building and opened the entrance door, staring at me and waiting for me go in. I stepped inside in and door shuts behind me, reminding me of a moment, when Intoxicator trapped me in maintenance corridors and forced me to run for my life with her toxic gas. I close my eyes and swallow, before foot kick push me forward into typical corridor with lift and typical doors, leading into apartments. Helena step forward and go to the lift and calls it.

 

Just what is this strong, independent, male hating woman is planning? While we are busy waiting for the lift and riding it in awkward silence, why not take a guess. Let’s see:

 

a)Personal revenge - maybe, but she dodged the question about it and acting weird.

 

b)Practicing fifty shades of gray? A͟h,͘ ̶He̵ll̨ ͢naw͝!͏ ̧S̸ani͠t͏is͘a̢tio͠n̡ ̢i͘s͢ ̵bȩt̡te͞r th̶a͡n͜ thi͘s̶!̨

 

c)Laffing in love? B̸itçh ̨p̶le͟a̷s̛e,͟ ̷do̶n̕'t ͞b̷e that ͢ştu҉p͝i̵d..̵ Nah, that’s impossible.

 

  1. d) Girls logic….yeah..



 

?) Or maybe she need someone to talk to about her personal problems, make a friend and fix her little inner demons while giving me a chance to start a new and life like I always wanted? No, that would be too much cliche reasons for a person that isn't named Aurora.

 

Lift doors opened, she push me out into the corridor and take a lead. Paranoia pops up again and nervously scratches on the back. I try to stay in a middle, moving closer to the wall and distancing myself from the doors whenever I pass one of them, lifting my hands to the chest and grinning like a mouse in the corner, slowly trying to avoid potential trap. 

 

I turn just in time to see her grab my head. As she unlocks the door, she kicks me in the shins. I instinctively flinch, and her cold fingers clamp over my face, nails digging into into my skin. Pain explodes in my stomach where her knee makes contact, knocking me to the floor. And no matter how hard I try to wrestle free, her grip only tightens. Any movement is futile now - I can only watch as a fist slowly rises into the air. But instead of striking, her grip loosens a little, her first wavers, a bit of uncertainty creeps onto her face.

 

I raise my hands and look her in the eyes, trying to show her that I surrender and mean her no hand, filled with misunderstanding, cold sweat popping on my head and two tentacles closer to my face going in panic. My hands itching and slightly shaking with boiling desire to punch her in return, but I restrain myself from making sudden movements or any attempts to provoke her. I did  **nothing** to her...not me. I’m innocent before you, I’m not the one who-..

 

Sounds from the room snap her out of her hate trip and she drops me on the floor, took off her footwear and went into a different room without saying a word. I rubbed my face from such hospitable reception, took off my footwear and looked around. Hm, average apartment from mid 2017, clothes, boots, mirror on the wall, couple of doorways leading into three rooms; probably kitchen, bedroom and ah- oh cod, I forgot how the big rooms are called. Well, it feels like a nice place to live in, let’s check the source of that sound, coming from big room

 

As I enter the room my legs stops with eyes instantly locked at unknown person with my head moving slightly back, surprised to see another inkling girl, just lying on her back on the bed with her head and tentacles dangling off it. A͞h, f͝uc͘k!̵ S̛q͢u̢i̸d si͝th͏ ͢h̸a̢v̕e ̸a͢n ̧AP͡PRENTI͝CE!͢ 

 

Arms lifted up, torturing controller with aggressively fast button mash. White skin, hairstyle, uh -  short bob style with twin tentacles in the front and back of their head; short T-shirt raised closer to her chest, tight shorts... Seriously is this a trend, culture stuff or everyone simply obsessed with wearing clothes that make then look more attractive in my eyes? Ah, snap out of it Rick, she need to date a gym - Green Te...right, Helena is in better form. 

 

I take a step forward and leaned to the side, looking at what she’s playing. And to my honest surprise and confusion it’s bloody 8 bit Mortal Kombat - undying arcade classic. Only this time it’s on wide screen TV, with console and definitely not human playing as jelly….My dad used to play those kinds of games a lot, with better graphics, more characters, and some actual story. Rest in peace for you, old man...Right, I think I need to introduce myself. I inhale and cough

 

_ “Ahem….” _

 

She took a slight turn in my direction and jumps off, tossing her controller away and falling on the floor with a scream, interrupted by “ooff”. I raised my hands a bit and took a couple of steps back, as scared as much as she is right now...probably. A second later, a yellow tentacle grabs the bed with a yellow looking squid rising and staring at me with excitement rapidly igniting in her eyes. I lower my hands and calm down a bit, taking second attempt to strike a conversation:

 

_ “aah...Hi?” _

 

She climbed upon the bed emitting, boiling with excitement.

 

_ “Voooooooooooooo!!! So you are that octoling with amnesia that tried to kill Lena is past!? And she brought you here? So Fresh! We can be friends! We can be lovers! You can be lovers! If she won’t kill you...Argh, why do you look so cute!? Come here, handsome, I’ll hug your face!” _

 

Before I could even react to that burst of uber positive behavior she jumped on my face in her squid form, trying to hug me with her two long tentacles like a facehugger and push me to the ground.

 


	5. Act 1: From The Man Who Sold The World Part 4: Welcome to the family

We both fell on the floor, with me desperately trying to save my face from that girl in the form of a yellow squid. She was using her two long tentacles with suckers on the inner side as a way to cling to my neck and prevent me from shaking her off.

 

_ “Daaagh- fuck are you doing, yellow fish?!” _

 

She giggled and replied with joyful tone.

 

_ "Taming a wild octoling! Yippy!” _

 

Lo͟l, ͡than̡k ͏you̡ for̡ th͠e͏ ͝c͞om͝p͞liment͟…sc҉um͡’s ͟a͠pp̵rent̕i̷c̡e͢. I arch my back and use struggle with my hands to prevent her from latching onto my face and have even more fun. 

 

_ “Is that your sea people way of greeting guests?!” _

 

_ “He-he, nooo.” _

 

_ “Then with all - argh! - disrespect and misunderstanding, would you kindly get your f͝U̧C͡KI͡ng ̴teen̡ s͞quid̡ ͘t͡EntaC̸LEs̷ off my face?!” _

 

That wasn’t exactly my voice and the things I wanted to say. She seem to not give a fuck and continue to dominate me with even more excitement and playful tone in her laughter. 

 

_ “Whoooooah, sharp tongue, mister. Anything  else you can do with it, outside of insults and screaming for hugs?” _

 

God bloody damn it, my hands are getting tired of continuing this unfair battle for my face’s security, which only raises my frustration and desire to punch her.

 

_ “Nope! You are not seducing this mutherfucker, because I’m too old for this shit!” _

 

_ “Hi old-” _

 

She said it jumping from my face to my chest and shaking her head, while morphing back into a humanoid form in an instance, before holding out a hand with a grin.

 

_ “-I’m Erin.” _

 

I raise my liberated head and look at her with the surprised pikachu face - Ge̛e̶, Ri͜ck,͟ usi̛n͞g͟ ̡ded ̢me͝m̨es҉ ͝y͢et ag͞ain..̵. - and shaking her hand with uncertainty in my voice

 

_ “Richard Streletskiy....You can call me Rick.” _

 

She giggles and switches her attention to the alarming footsteps converging on our position from a nearby room. Ah shit...I twist my neck and eyes back so I can see the doorway where she’ll - never mind, she just appeared in the doorway in an oversized gray T-shirt and shorts, crossing her arms over her chest and silently judging us both for a moment, before speaking up.

 

_ “Erin, what the shell are you doing with this brainwashed tra...I mean octoling?” _

 

I didn't reply to that insult, because that yellow hyperactive facehugger raised her arms to the sides, yelling like a kid in front of an ice cream truck.

 

_ “Lena! This boy is so-” _

 

She got interrupted by cold Helena’s tone.

_ “Gosh, give him a break; he’s not your birthday gift or a pet...But he will be in case of misbehaving. You understand, unit 35?” _

 

I can clearly taste the salt and toxicity in her last words, addressed to me. I sigh and raise my hands

 

“ _ The name is Richard Streletskiy and yes, he hea̧r̡d you, cąpt̸ąin̢ ͞rądi͞ça̴l͝ fe̛mi̸nism .” _

 

Erin gasped with interest, while Helena took a step closer, drilling me with her eyes and a bit higher tone, mixed with suppressed threat.

 

_ “What was that you milksop, head holed  papa’s little boy?” _

 

_ “Whoa-whoa, chill out, killer! That wasn’t my voice, I swear.” _

 

Y̢e͘a̴, yo̡u’re͘ t͢o͝o muc̢h͏ ͝of͟ ̧a pus҉sy͢ ͞t͘o ̸ąc̶t̨ ҉as a̡ ͏ma̢n, ̶Ric̢k͝. She isn’t pleased with such response and look aside with  “fuff”. Awkward silence rose above the room for a second, but Erin broke it:

 

_ “Oi, Lena, give him a break. He’s so cute and goofy, like a sea slug! He must have a hard time adjusting to new place and company.” _

 

I look at her, attempting to discharge the situation by insulting and defending with ‘wtf’ face, and reply in frustration.

 

_ “Excuse m-hey! Stop it!” _

 

She grabs me by the cheeks and plays with them like I’m a bloody hamster or something. I grab her hands and remove them from my face, replying to such disrespect.

 

_ “Lady, I’m NOT your toy and do NOT compare me with that talking undead punisher sea slug conductor with a hard on for blowing people up remotely!” _

 

She went silent for a second and looked at Helena, just to see her shrugging with face telling “look, I don’t give a splat about this trash”. Erin giggled again and freed her arms to pet me.

 

_ “Sea slugs don’t talk, goofy cutie.” _

 

What ͞a̡n̶ i̛nn̡o͝c͜e̶ņt w͠a͘y̴ ̢t͏o i͡n͜s͝ult so̕m̸e̵o͢n͏e͢..Ric͝k!҉  God fucking....they’re both getting on my nerves right now. This Erin is worse than that pink hyperactive pony; Helena is standing there and judging me with ‘that’ look, while I’m stuck lying on the ground. I hustle and reply, trying to keep my irritation in check. 

 

_ “Rrrhg...This is going nowhere. I have no idea what you want and why. I’m confused, irritated, hungry and have a huge train of problems to solve, starting with finding some bloody information about this city. Can you two at least pretend to act like people and help me, before torturing m͢e l̡i̵k͠e͢ yo̧u͟’re su̕ppos͏ed to͜?͘!” _

 

Erin’s smile vanished as she and Helena went silent, looking at each other and exchanging a shrugs. Then Erin spoke up with normal tone

 

_ “Relax, no one is gonna torture anyone. Gosh, who would do that anyway?” _

 

She said the last words looking at Helena, who replied with no enthusiasm in her voice like she knows the answer from experience.

 

_ “Monsters..” _

 

And then I replied in the same tone.

 

_ “Not monsters. Men-” _

 

I looked at Green Terror and continued

_ “-broken, twisted and violated by cold logic. Green Terror….Helena. Why are you doing this? We’re enemies, as I remember, even though I never met you before. I tried to kill you...don’t remember the exact reason why though; you kept on killing my kind. Then why did you let me live and bring me here? No bullshit, no lies. I need a straight answer.” _

 

She drilled me with her eyes for a couple of seconds, barely audible moaning with anger and gritting her teeth, but she failed to remain in that state and bend her back, releasing her hands so they hang down like her tentacles and sigh.

 

_ “Fine. I’ll grab a chair.” _

 

A minute later and Helena returned with a chair and a couple cans of some alcoholic shit - seemed like beer. She put the chair’s back in my direction, sat down and devastated a can in one go. And only then she spoke up.

 

_ “We had a pretty ‘nice’ history of fighting each other time and time again. I defeated Octavio...twice-”  _

 

She narrowed her eyes, looking at Erin. Erin fake smiled and scratched her head, looking away.

 

_ “-Crippled your military power, stole some zapfishes and did many other things. Anyway. Last time we fought, you got me good...but you spared my life and walked away, never to be seen again. Four years later you appear out of nowhere in near death state in some old human ruins. You looked like…-” _

 

She stopped to drink next can of beer.

 

“- _Let’s just say it’s a miracle that you were still alive at that point._ _I took you to the hospital. Month later you woke up and started acting like a completely different person, who have little to no understanding of the place he’s in.”_

 

She took a pause, mercilessly killing another beer can in a matter of seconds.

 

_ “So I make decision to take your octo ass here to study and figure out, where the shell you missing all this time and what happened to you.” _

I negatively shake my head.

 

_ “It’s not a miracle…. Wanna know what happened to me? Tḩe͘ ͠P͞rom̨i̷se̴d͝ L͢and͢ ̨h̕appene̶d̕, промыв мозгов бесплатно и без СМС…” _

 

Upon hearing the russian language, she raised an eyebrow, but I don’t give a fuck about that and continue my speech with slowly rising pain, as I remember…

 

_ “You know what that old, mad tyrant said? _ _   
_ _   
_ __ When we’ll wake up from the dreams

_ We’ll be reborn from the deep. _

 

_ It’s a like a poem, but everyone dies - the end. I spend not four...but twenty years in that hell, surviving, enduring and keeping my mouth shut. But one day I woke up with this-” _

 

I took one of my tentacles with a hand and raised it

 

_ “See this? That was  _ **_NOT_ ** _ part of  _ **_MY_ ** _ body...this is not even my body to begin with and from some perspective I might be just a parasite, a body snatcher with ͡h͡a̸ve͜ no͢ id҉ea, how ̛it ͘f̵ęel” _

 

Both girls blinked in surprise, and so did I. What the hell did I just said? That wasn’t my tone and words! I don’t- I…

 

_ “Yea, fu͝ckf͏a҉c̕e̛. ͠How̨ does ͡it͝ f̧ȩel, w͝h͜en͟ a͞ ͏someo͝n̵e too̶k ͢y͠our ̧w͘h̕eels and ̷l͞e҉f͝t you ̶on ̧the ̢ba͡ck̸ ̶seat̷ w̛it̵h͞ ̷no ͟co͠n̢tr̶o̧l̵ ͠o͞v҉e͘r your o̡wn ͜b̵o̵dy?” ҉ _

 

Erin was silent, while Helena look at another jar and said

 

_ “Are you talking to yourself?” _

 

I replied uneasily, with cold sweat popping on my forehead and tentacles 

 

“Yea. A fucking consequence I have to deal with - madness and the voice of your beloved octoling named Unit 35 insulting of daily ba- Ha͟v̸e̢n’t ͟I t̢old̴ y̡ou NOT ͠CAL͢L ͘ME̕ ̨b͘y̨ ̶th͘at n̴ąm҉ȩ,̴ you͞ ͠pat̵h̶e̸tic hu̡ma̶n,̷ ̛shi̕t̨ ea̵ting wor͝n! Yo̴u͝ g̶e̶t uş ̵o̷ut̷ o̸f ͡h̨el̷l҉,̨ ҉no͜w͜ ͘i̸t̨’s MY tu̴rn to̶ ̷r̨i͘d̴e!̨”

 

I grinned in frustration and started to dangle, resisting my inner voice breaking out and insulting me. But I...we were interrupted by Helena standing up and pointing at me.

 

_ “I heard enough, shut him up. I.....I’ll go buy more drinks.” _

 

_ “Wait, wha-” _

 

Before I could even finish, Erin giggles and with one slight move sat on my face, marking her small victory with joyful “ Booyah! _”_ Perfect...now my mouth is pussyblocked. You happy, Asshole? Perha͟p͟s̵…͠. Well, at least she got her pants on and I got a good view here and time to think a bit. ͟I’d u͠s̸ed͞ a̴ mo̵m҉en͢t̸ to̵ ͘go in͘ o̴cto fơr̶m͜, take̵ he̕r͜ p͞a̧nts͡ off͏ an͟d…

 

*Hours later.*

 

Here I am, standing on the balcony and looking at the city, surrounded by late evening. I might feel a bit more comfortable, but it’s gonna take a long time to adjust to the new world, forget what I saw and lived through...and remember. 

 

Helena didn’t came back so I’m stuck with this hyperactive girl, lying on the couch and playing games. Despite my lack of trust and understanding she’s quite friendly and positive towards me. Her cooking skills are terrible tho...or it’s just me having a hard time appreciating seaweed salad she made. I asked her about Helena and her reasons. Turns out Erin is so called Agent 4 and she’s Helena’s best friend. As for our miss Green Terror herself: I’m just a tool to fix her trauma and phobia. Honestly, that’s disappointing and sad.

 

What happened to my life? I was a lab rat, just another number in a line of broken prototypes in Professor's little project, guided by Tartar. And now I’m just a tool for a mentally traumatised girl that happened to be my enemy in a past I never had. And the worst part of it - I could be easily replaced in both cases, like a finger snap. HE keep changing test subjects like gloves; she….Yea, I think she only care about race. I feel like shit, my memorises slowly borrow my mind from the inside, causing pain. I shake my head and quietly humming a tune I heard on the street to distract myself, wiping off blood from my nose. 

 

Sigh. It’s not helping. I turn back and walk into the room. Erin notice me, paused her game and turned to me using the elbow as a stand for her head

 

_ “Sooooo…..why you look so sad? And why your nose is bleeding? It’s on a period?” _

 

I looked at her with mixed expression. Can’t say for sure if that was a pun or a serious question. She giggled.

 

_ “I was joking. Seriously though, you ok?” _

 

I silently sat on the sofa, waved my hand as a way to say ‘leave me be, ye͝llow͟ ̴s̵ex̴ pr̶ed҉a̛t͢or’. The joy on her face started to fade away, as she asked with more concerned tone.

 

_ “Is there anything you want to talk about?” _

 

I negatively shaked my head in reply with no joy.

 

_ “Just feel myself like a broken toy that had a rough life. It’s all like a bad drug trip, but it’s eternal, real and gross as unshaved balls. It was getting worse and worse with each day, till it stopped...When you know that you’re nothing but a plaything for something...someone. And now I’m on the surface, surrounded by the impossible, looking and talking with sea creatures. Insane and unbelievable, yet here we are.” _

 

I took a deep sigh and sit against the wall on the cough. Erin reply

 

_ “You’re in Inkopolis now. A city of second chances! Don’t worry about anything, we got it covered. And don’t worry about Lena. She’s not as bad as she present herself.” _

 

Reply with some delay, thinking about her words

 

_ “Maybe I just need to chill the fuck up; ‘охладить трахание’ like we used to say back in a day.” _

 

_ “Anything I can do to help you relax and feel better?” _

 

I looked at Erin, with no straight answer and shrugged.

 

_ “Maybe some love and care will fix you mood?” _

 

_ “Eh? What do you mean by-” _

 

She get on her knees, lift herself up a bit and proceed to take her shirt off. Oh.. NO!҉ ͏Not͠ ̢h̷e͢re,̷ ͜no͞t͡ ņo͠w, n̸o̧t ̶with ̸HȨR! Is she really seducing me or I have a hallucinations?! I stared at her in shock and yelled with brush, waving my hands. 

 

_ “T-T-t-t! No! What are you doing?! S-stop making me horny!” _

 

She stopped and sat, looking at me.

 

_ “You don’t want it?” _

 

_ “I know you for like….hours and you already have no problems with fucking a half crazy mutherfucker that have a bad story that I deny with your friend?! Aren’t you supposed to be a teen?” _

 

_ “Only in a way that matters.” _

She said with a faint smile, but it looks like she’s disappointed. I moved my tentacle away from my eye and negatively shanked my head, blushing and feeling myself really uncomfortable.

 

_ “L-look, No offence, but I don’t know if this is just you or that kind of behavior is normal here. You’re cute and friendly, but I’m really not in a mood for stuff like this. Not now anyway Can we just, uh...I dunno, watch TV?” _

 

She nods and went to TV, unplugging the console. I decided to change the subject 

 

_ “Anyway. May I ask where I’ll be sleeping?” _

 

She thinks for a moment and reply, sitting on the couch, turning on some news

 

_ “Since Lena sleep on this couch, I’ll get you an air mattress.” _

 

_ “Sooo you two live together?” _

 

She nods.

 

_ “Like a family ever since she moved in Inkopolis. She’ll definitely came back late and drunk. Gonna wait for her to make sure she won’t do anything fish stupid” _

 

I didn’t reply, watching news and trying to process all those bits of information. Looks like Erin is more that just hyper active, sex obsessed teen. She a good and responsible friend for Helena. But time will show if I’m right here. As for now I’ll just wait for the night and think about everything I saw and learned today.

 


	6. Part 5: Multi Tool - hooker

I climb up the concrete stairs, looking at the ceiling. The lack of it, to be honest. A voice from the dark whispers words again and again. 

 

_ We’ll be reborn from the deep... _

It’s getting on my nerves. I don’t wanna be here. I just wanna have a good, nice, friendly dream; not the underground...not again. But here I am, dumped into the world of unwanted dreams and nightmares. I’ve been having trouble sleeping ever since I woke up as huma- no, as whatever I am now.

 

Stairs lead up to the endless grey corridor, candles lit up in wall stands. No ceiling with skeletons pressed together like in a crowded bus and hanged on endless naked electrical wires, stretching up to the darkness like strings of some greater evil. I look back, take a long sigh and proceed forward. What can we do when there is no hope on the horizon...I’m looking back in the hope of seeing, of remembering what we once had, what we wanted...and what we lost; before breaking the silence by singing lyrics, used by that immortal sanitised bitch -  _ Intoxicator _ . But this time it’s in my native dead language. A song of the dead perfectly fits the living:

 

_ Скованные одной цепью _

_ Связанные одной целью _

_ Проклятые одной цепью _

_ Созданные с одной… _

 

I stop and look back.  _ Created with one purpose. _ No, that’s a Traitor's Hall line, because we were born as  **free people** , not as...as…makeshift abominations. Or maybe I-...huh. I notice one of the skeletons has a cardboard sign in his hands and take it from its cold bones, before taking it to the candlestick, looking at the short message, written in blood.

 

_ “Omae wa mou shindeiru my friend.” _

 

I close my eyes for a moment and lower the sing down a bit, before tossing it against the wall with an angry scream. Don’t remind me of that meme, it’s now a painful reminder now; for all of us. Humanity is dead ma͞te. I’m dead, along with other poor people in cryo chambers. God, what was I thinking when I sliced my own flesh and blood, my own body...k-killing myself, while dying as -a...myself? Was I myself back there? What about now. What am I right now? WHO am I right now? An echo in a different body, corrupted mental clone, a failure? I. Don’t. Know...

 

The tunnel let me to a night city street. Looks like a ghost town with all this garbage, constructive ruins and rusty cars in various states of plundering It’s raining, with occasional thunder and sad ambient music constantly playing in the air. I proceed forward looking at my feet, trying to solve a paradox — me. I’m not myself, I’m not somebody else. I’m a corrupted copy of whoever I was, filled with memories and problems of a person that I don’t even know. 

 

I stop and take a sit near one of the cars, looking into the sky, where crows are flying. I stretch my hand to them, but they obviously I can’t reach them, just as I can’t reach my answers. What is my purpose -  to pass the butter?  _ Sigh _ . Why am I even trying? Why do I keep struggle? This world is not mine. Will they accept me? Will I accept...my dual nature? Could I forget the horrors I saw…?

 

I look down at the ground, quietly crying with my eyes closed. My life collapsed, I died...didn't I? I feel like I’m not walking anymore, but falling forward. Ḩ͠E took everything from me...even my own death. And now I’m so alone, lost and confused…

 

_ “Somebody...help...me….” _

 

The͟n҉ ̧wa͘ke͡. ̷Th̢e̸ fu̡ck͟.͜ up͘..̡parasi̶te.

…………………….

 

I open my eyes and raise, gasping for air. It's dark and quiet, but I-...argh, I shake off my tentacles and stand up, looking around. Night time, clothes on the floor and there is a person, sleeping on the couch, covered by a sheet and snoring like a drunk forty years old idiot with nothing to lose....just like yours truly. That’s clearly her - Green Terror...or̸ ͘mor̴e̷ li̸k͏e͡ Drunk T̨e̷r͏r̛o̧r̷.”͡ Annoying voice ring in my head again, distracting me.

 

_ “Rise and shine, you parasitic torde holdster.” _

 

That voice. Agent Asshole...my madness came back.

 

_ “It never left you. Also, you can steal her panties and wear them like a hat, but later. Now get a grip, and move your ass to the bathroom. We need to talk” _

 

I shake my head, clearing it from that depressing dream and slowly proceed to the bathroom. Once inside I turned in cold water and started to wash my face, trying to wake up completely. Moments later I turned it off and look at the mirror. Instead of my tired reflection, I see Agent Asshole. His voice ringing inside my ears.

 

_ “So, what is your plan, parasite? Got any idea what to do, where to go? ” _

 

I didn't reply, looking at his smug, fictional face. He continued.

 

_ “Exactly. You have no idea. I expected nothing more from a confused, lost, hesitant madman. A failure among inferior pieces of shit like inklings, jellies, urchins…” _

 

I yawned and muttered wearily, giving my sentient reflection a tired look with no reply. I’m not a mood for conversations with voices inside my head. I want to sleep, but  I reply, with my tone down, just to avoid waking up angry girls.

 

_ "Can it wait? I want to sleep..” _

 

_ He interrupted me with a mocking tone. _

 

_ “And cry in overwhelming confusing and depression? Bitch, please. You can hide that shit behind a mask, but I read your useless mind like a book” _

 

_ “Then would you kindly help me or get out of my mind?" _

 

He snuggles.

 

_ "Your mind? That's funny, cuz it's what I should've said. And I helped you, just as you begged me to, I wake you up." _

 

_ "Rrgh...you are nothing more, but an insulting voice in my head, part of my madness.” _

 

He narrowed his eyes, getting louder and more frustrated.

 

_ “Says who? A dead man with his corrupted mind clone using MY body as a puppet? Let’s make it clear, parasite. It’s my body, my mind, my rules. And I don’t care how little of me left inside that skull. You won’t take away my life without my  personal promotion!” _

 

Now, this is getting irritating. I put my hands on the sink, raising my voice a bit.

 

_ “You were much nicer in the underground…” _

 

_ “Oh, I wonder why. Maybe because it was unknown territory filled with kidnapped octolings, twisted and corrupted to the point of insanity; useless tests and empty promises made by a FUCKING artificial intelligence?! Like seriously, Rick, a thinking tin can! That’s a fantasy!!!” _

 

I turn on the water again and shoves my head under the crane. Oh, my head is killing me with my brain cells committing suicide upon hearing those inner screams. Oh..Asshole is not happy to hear that.

 

_ “Of course I’m not happy. I have a most fucked up job of sitting inside MY own brain and narrating your stream of thoughts into more or less understandable form! But I can always say “fuck it” and rebel, taking back what’s always been mine!” _

 

I raise my head and move away tentacles, pointing at reflection with narrowed eyes and an angry whisper.

 

_ “Shut it, Asshole. You’re insane, sex-obsessed psycho, periodically talking nonsense. If you don’t like what I think about, then don't strain yourself and stop messing with my head. I’ll figure out, how to solve all this mess…” _

 

He said with the mucking tone, smiling.

 

_ “Even Promised Land…? We don’t even know how to get back in there. But sure, good luck in finding out the way to our death, you stupid parasite.” _

 

I grinned, clenched my fist.

 

_ “Stop. Calling me... ‘parasite’.” _

 

_ "Why? Because it triggers you and your bad memories? Vooo, how scary. I’m totally afraid and about to shit myself after hearing a trigger phrase. NOT! Ha-ha! Ah, go jerk myself, pal. ” _

 

He said those last words with that jerk smirk, while I grow more and more frustrated with my fist and face shaking in anger.

 

_ “You’re in control, but I want my wheel back. And you’ll obey me. That’s all you do” _

 

_ “I’d happily do that when you return me into my body ...Oh wait, you can't.” _

 

I spelt last words with mocking sarcasm, yawning. 

 

_ “You killed yourself, idiot!” _

 

I negatively shake my head, looking down with a sigh.

 

_ “As much I concern, that...body wasn’t me anymore. That was a meatbag...not a human, not me.” _

 

_ “And yet you are here, stuck in my body, playing with my life over here.” _   
  


I grind with anger and struck the sing with my fist.

 

_ “You think I asked for this?! For any of it?! NO! All I wanted is a normal, human life. What did I get? Nothing! They took everything from me...even my own death.” _

 

My voice begins to shake and eyes blurred with tears that I immediately wiped off.

 

_ “I’m not - I’m not myself. I’m not somebody else. And the same goes for you. As much as you hate me, we BOTH echoes of ourselves, stuck in your body. And I’m in control…” _

 

“ _Nah, Rick._ _You are a Multi Tool -hooker. Everyone uses you for multiple purposes and pull your strings. Think about it: A lab rat for Tartar with sanitization he got what he wants; Green Terror’s means to overcome her mental drama and insecurities, while keep on killing/acasinaly torturing and raping you; Mine means of escaping the underground and using you to know my enemy better. And there’s that Agent 4 - Erin. I think she just wants my dick. Oh..By the way!”_

 

My first went out of control and smashed me. I looked at it with frustration and confusion, clenching it in an attempt to take control back, but it hit me in my nose. It’s hurt and I bleed...And Asshole is laughing like a maniac.

 

_ “Ha-ha-ha-ha! See?! Even a whiny little bitch voice like your truly can control you! ” _

 

I gained control over my hand and bend closer to the mirror. His mocking tone changed with some excitement, leaving me confused for a moment.

 

_ “Oh riiight! I almost forgot to mock you with your favourite Eight-balls!! Pardon me, gonna fix that real quick! Ahem.." _

 

Upon hearing ‘that’ I quickly took a couple of steps back, almost losing my balance with my hands shaking and tentacles acting nervously. Boiling anger and frustration are getting overwhelmed by stress, fear and echoing voice of CQ motherfucking cumbers repeating the same line - ‘you let the eight ball fall. Test failed.’ I shake my head and take a deep breath, calming myself down. Asshole finally spoke.

 

_ "Heh, see? You almost shit yourself! Better answer me a little rhetorical question: how the fuck did tests with that human size ball turned you into a stress slut, hm?! Like really, you have two balls to play with already. Shoot the ball, escort it to the fucking checkpoint in the test chamber designed by some school kid with no life. But nooo - we gonna act like Pavlov's dog and get triggered with stress bursts and my ex sweet, raped ass going on fire upon just looking at that shit! And the worst of it - you whine like a little bitch with each fucking fail! Pathetic!" _

 

_ “Then why didn’t you try it yourself?! While I was trapped in that hell, doing those tests over and over, you did only two types of actions: insult me and pretend to watch porn!” _

 

_ “And now we are on the surface, where I’m finally free to do whatever I...want? Huh, actually, I never thought about that.” _

 

I wiped off the blood from my nose and washed my hands, while voice went silent for a second. as I heard some noise on the background. Asshole lowered his tone to a tensed whisper.

 

_ “Ah?  Did we woke someone?” _

 

Everything was quiet and moments later Asshole continued.

 

_ “...right. Look, Rick. It’s been four years since I went missing, right?” _

 

I nod in response.

 

_ “And officially I’m a deserter/MIA….Hm…” _

 

I mumble, tired of his insults and demoralisation.

 

_ “Out of insults, your majesty?” _

 

_ “Majesty? Aw, bitch. That’s cute. Nah, I’m just thinking here. You wanna play nice guy, blend into this society and jerk yourself off from time to time with the inability to seduce some mermaid chick while remaining in control? Fine, let’s do that for now. And I’ll think about our next move. But I’m more than sure - Green Terror will kill us within a week.” _

 

I sigh and close my eyes yawning. I’m in no mood to listen...

myself? I gave a final tired look in the mirror at myself...only to see the reflection of someone else. I killed myself, yet I stand here..using the body of other, replacing his will and mind. I raise my hand and inspect it.

 

_ “You know...it’s sad and depressing to understand that your life’s meaning collapsed long ago, you’re nothing but an echo petting itself with lies, distractions, and your death always stands behind, asking for a date...Maybe your insults aren’t that bad after all.” _

 

To my surprise asshole replied.

 

_ “Omae wa mou shindeiru. Don’t think about that philosophical bullshit, your meaning in life, and blah-blah-blah. Just go to sleep. You’ll have plenty of time to cry in depression.” _

 

I sigh, negatively shaking my head and turn back to-

 

_ “Fu-AAAh-ck!” _

 

H͡ơly͢ Zapfi̴s̸h, t͝h̴at̡ ̵b͡i͟t̵ch m̴ov̛e͡s҉ ̢ļįk̵e͡ a̛ c҉at̴! I jumped with my tentacles racing like a mad cat’s tail, squealing like a little girl from a jumpscare - Helena appeared in an open doorway, seemingly out of nowhere. I had enough bullshit for today, damn it! She was in her underwear, half closed tired eyes, back is bending and she looks drunk...and hot...My̷ g̸o͡d,͏ rea͜l̴ly?͞...even in the dark. She looked at me and walked in  staggering and pressed me against the sink. She looked me in the eyes, twisting her mouth and emitting some sounds. I n̶ȩver ͟d͝e̢a͟l wi͜th d͏r͠u̸n͠k i̛n͠kli͠ng bef͞or͝e, R̨i̡ck.҉  

 

I carefully trying to move her away from me, avoiding eye contact with discomfort on my face, but she grabs my shoulders and with one final attempt to say something, before pulling me closer to her. I brush and sweat with discomfo-whoa - whoaa! She turned me around with insane speed and push me forward right into the gla-!

 

_ “Dargh! W̶̕T̨F͜ w̵o͘m͟a͘͞n?̧͜!” _

 

R̵͞I͏C̛͞K͢͝!̶̢ God f-fucking damn it, she just slammed my forehead against the glass with full strength! I whine in pain, as she grabs my head and repeats the slamming, then foot kick me out in the corridor. I hit the wall and slide to the floor, with my head screaming in pain, bleeding...She walks to me and kicks me in a jaw, forcing me to fall on the ground. I try to get up, grinned in f-frustration and pain, but I feel weak...like I’m b-blacking out...I push myself up with shaking hands, ready to look her in the eyes. But she disappeared in the bathroom, closing the door and leaving me alone.

 

_ “Could have just...asked like a person damn it..f-fuck.” _

 

I snarl while standing up and whining in pain. But there is no reply...nor that I want her to come back and beat me more. I’ll just.. slowly walk back to sleep. What a fucking day...

  
  
  


**End of Act 1?**


	7. Part 6: Hard Choice

This is a bonus part and a little experiment - using third point of view

……………….

 

**Point of view: Helena. Two days ago**

 

It’s been another bright day, full of epic games, sports, and abusing the hardest working liver in the Inkopolis. Ever since the day the octoling, with the typical military name of Unit 35, came out of a coma, Helena’s nightmares resurfaced like candy sales in a store. She clearly remembered the face of her nemesis, slowly opening his eyes, lying in bed and moaning with confusion...defenseless, weak. Yet, she freaked out, ran away, let her fear burst out - something Green Terror would never do….

 

That was two weeks ago. Now she headed home with some drinks and bags full of food. She had a couple of good matches in Turf War - the most famous game sport out there. It consists of two teams of inklings and octolings painting an arena and completing objectives while temporarily killing each other for fun and entertainment. Sport for ‘everyone’, a job for many. But for her, it was more than just a way of life. 

 

High-rank matches, the thrill of battle, ink pumping like crazy, splatting octolings left and right...Watching their ‘ghosts’ flying to the spawn point with unhappy muttering was a good way to boost her mood, probably because of her trauma and hate for octolings - consequences of saving the world and going against the entire army all by herself.

 

She came home and immediately put aside her gear. After having a quick chat with Erin, her roommate, Helena went to the kitchen, declaring a war against it. Hour of intense battle using a knife, swearing and cooking the enemy alive brought the result - dinner. Tasty spoils of war were mercilessly taken down with extra excitement and joy - thank cod Helena managed to cook something edible this time. 

_ Sometime later. _

 

They were playing strip poker...without any clothes more to lose. Erin was lying on her stomach, on the couch, hugging her bent legs. Helena was just sitting with her back against the wall, using one of her long tentacles to hold and drink a bottle of moonshine. A game for fun, chatting and discussing life - typical pastime of two crazy girls with no boyfriends to annoy or world to save. Erin won another round and grabbed the cards to shuffle.

 

_ “Gonna watch Turf War league today? It’s grand finals,  _ **_Toxink vs Splat Jam._ ** _ ” _

 

Helena took a dip of booze, taking some cards for a new round.  _ “Naw, it’s just a Turf War with two lesbians that turned their problem into a competition. I don’t understand why you’re such a fan of the league.”  _

 

A new round of strip poker began, Erin replied with a childish tone, dangling her legs.

 

_ “C’mon! It’s a pro scene. A big sport, prizes, fame! Just think about tracks of sweets and booze and boys….oooooh, ho-ho-ho! We just need to build a team and-!” _

 

Helena didn’t share the excitement and joy of her friend, slightly shaking her head. She responded with the tone of an older sister.  _ “We’ll need two more teammates for that. Or one, if you like to suffer in three versus four matches. Even after that, we can’t just take whoever we want. What if they find out about squidbeak splatoon?” _

 

_ “Oooh....”  _ Erin enthusiasm died out, as she stretched a single syllable.

 

“ _ You always say ‘no’ to anything. No drinks, no boys, no team, no candy-!” _

 

Erin focused on the last word with a higher, angrier tone and continued as unusual.

 

_ “Maybe you should call yourself ‘Mistress of denying’ then? Suits you better than ‘Green Terror’ nickname you got from the Octarians.”  _ She said it giggling with a smile. 

 

Helena took another dip from her bottle meanwhile giving Erin a cold, unpleasant look. Erin’s smile vanished as she lowered her eyes and spoke quietly.

 

_ “Sorry, Lena..” _

 

Miss Green Terror continued to play, scolding Erin like a mother.

 

_ “You’re underaged to drink-” _

 

_ “I’m almost seventeen!”  _

 

_ “That doesn't stop you from opening your legs to every boy on your way...I’m not even talking about your attempt to defeat the octarian king by flirting…” _

 

Erin blushed and impiously interrupted her friend again.

 

_ “YOLO and worth it! Also, I’m not ‘opening my legs’ to every boy..” _

 

_ “Ok-ok, to every third boy,”  _ Helena said that mocking line with a grin.

 

_ “Lena, cod damn you!” _

 

Erin jumped on her, switching to squid form with a blush and somewhat angry, yet playful tone. Helena accepted the yellow squid in her embrace and hugged her, laughing. But that laugh quickly died out. Erin looked up. Helena went silent, looking somewhere, thinking about something with that cold facial expression. She thought about that octoling again...Erin did something she never does in public - she spoke up with a quiet, worried tone.

 

_ “Thinking about that octoling again?” _

 

Helena nodded. Erin sighed and hugged her girlfriend harder.

 

_ “Is he the one?” _

 

Helena took a sip of moonshine and answered with a cold tone.  _ “Yep, Unit 35. Elite trooper, stalker, assassin and a huge pain in the ass…And now he’s back. But he - he changed. I watched how physiologists talked to him.” _

 

She took a pause, petting her chest hugging friend, remaining with that cold look and tone of Green Terror

 

_ “The way he talks, describes things, looks at others with confusion and uncertainty - it’s like a completely different person just pretending to be him. And that fairy tale about humans and the underground - I dunno. Sounds too detailed, too real to be a lie or a well-thought cover story. Plus all those kidnappings….” _

 

Silence rose up in the room for a moment, before Erin broke it, thinking,  _ “What if he’s telling the truth?” _

 

Helena sighed, closing her eyes.

 

_ “I dunno…” _

 

_ “Then maybe you should give him a chance?” _

 

Upon hearing that Helena gave Erin a questionable look.  _ “A second chance? To him? Is that a joke or you out of your damned mind?” _

 

Erin jumped on her knees, turning back to her humanoid form.

 

_ “Why not? I could find some use for him, he-he.”  _ Erin grinned, covering her smile with a hand. 

 

Helena looked at her half-empty bottle and put it aside, hiccupping.  _ “No. He’s an unstable psychopath with amnesia or a really smart plan to trick everyone that he’s someone else, only to - hic...oh. Never mind, you’re too good for scum like him…” _

 

_ “Maybe he looks cute.”  _ Erin rose her sight to the ceiling, taking a short imagination trip, shaking her head from left to right and twisting her legs.

 

Helena waved her hand, hissing with a drunk tone, stumbling a bit.  _ “Curly tentacles...rounded ears, large gazing eyes with a lost expression. I d-dunno, what else to say.” _

 

_ “Lena, you...just described a typical octoling.” _

 

_ “They all look alike! If you want a cute boy or a girl - you know where to go. And don’t you even try with him, or I splat you both!” _

 

Erin rose with excitement.  _ “So you gonna take him in?!” _

 

Helena replied with a short delay, negatively shaking her head from alcohol.

 

_ “I’m not sure…” _

 

_ “You should do it, Lena. Give him a chance. Give yourself a chance.” _

 

_ “..and let go of my trauma, chasing my hate. Ugh, you sound just like my phycologist.” _

 

Helena moved to the edge of the bed, looking down. The booze was doing a good job melting down her cold, badass side, making her soft. Her voice shook a bit, with notes of worry and fear popping out as she turned her head back, looking at her best and the only friend she’s got.

 

_ “I’m afraid...I don’t know what to do..” _

 

At that moment Erin went silent for a couple of seconds, looking in the eyes of her best friend. Helena didn’t have to say more - Erin understood everything and gave her a strong hug from behind. Erin spoke up without any trace of her childish tone, fun, or excitement. She felt sad for her friend and wanted to ease her pain.

 

_ “Lena, you know I’m always here to help and cheer you up.” _

 

_ “You’re not tequila, Agent Four,”  _ Helena said it with a cold, cracking tone, trying to keep herself in control. She tried to remain cool, strong and unstoppable, but she couldn’t do it...not after a bottle and a half of some good moonshine. She sobbed and closed her eyes, starting to cry.

 

_ “M-maybe, but-”  _ Erin tried to reignite the fun and childish atmosphere of their conversation with her tone, but it was too late for that. So she did the only thing that could help: She pushed Helena’s back to the bed, hugging her like a plush toy. Helena took the initiative, hugging back and crying, while Erin proceeded to slowly pet Helena’s head, calming her down like a mother.

 

_ “There, there. Let it out, don’t hold back...” _

  
  
  
  


**_End of Act 1._ **

**........................**

**So, do you like it? Probablt not, becuase you won't even read it. But if you do - pls leave some feedback, comments, let me know what you think about the characters and the story overall**


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